Ottawa. April 17, 1982. The Queen is all smiles as Attorney-General Jean Chretien reaches for a pen to sign the Constitution proclamation. (Photo by Erik Christensen/The Globe and Mail Orig. Pub. April 19, 1982) | CP

OTTAWA - The papermakers chose the finest Manitoba flax and the artists etched the coat of arms in 24 carat gold for the Proclamation of the Constitution Act of 1982.

The goal: to create a uniquely Canadian, tangible piece of history befitting the constitution coming home and the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Except nobody thought about the pens used to sign the proclamation itself.

So while 30 years later the Charter remains a vibrant force in Canadian life, the signatures that brought it into force are at risk of fading.

"The paper is very, very good quality, but it begs the question when we're signing prestigious documents, perhaps we should be using inks, pens that are as stable as the document itself," said Catherine Craig-Bullen, manager, conservation treatment at Library and Archives Canada.

"But there is no regulatory body to say, oh, when you sign this you should use this type of ink."

Except, the only signature that wasn't even supposed to be there may outlast all the others.

And the reason former prime minister Jean Chretien's signature remains so well preserved isn't archival acrobatics, but the actions of a protester.

Two copies of the proclamation were made. One was for the public outdoor ceremony on Parliament Hill and the second for a private event on April 17, 1982.